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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bound — obliged
  5. tear — from crying
  6. row — a line
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. tear — to rip
  11. charge — in control
  12. tear — from crying
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. ball — a great time
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. content — happy
  22. ball — a dance
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. content — the amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com